The
VFR1200F is a sport touring motorcycle from Honda, which has a 1,237 cc (75.5 cu in) V4 engine. It has the first dual clutch transmission offered on a motorcycle
Honda announced the VFR1200F in 2009 and unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. Production began in October 2009 and first models were delivered in early 2010.
Previously, Honda had displayed a V4 concept bike in October 2008 at the Intermot show in Cologne.
It had distinctive design elements that were to appear in the production VFR1200F, in particular the X shaped headlights. Leaks and spy photos of a new Honda appeared in various places including online and print news outlets.
Honda created teaser websites in Fall 2009, in which parts of the a new V4 were shown tantalizingly, and a countdown timer was displayed.
In October 2009, Honda press materials for the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show announced that the company would display a new bike, the VFR1200F, at the show
Engine
Honda VFR1200F engine with dual clutch transmission at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
The transverse-mounted
V4 architecture is kept from previous models but the
VTEC technology is discontinued.
Instead the new engine incorporates the
single overhead camshaft distribution system called Unicam which has been already tested on Honda's offroad machines. This compact system reduces engine size which could be placed further forward in the bike's frame while lowering its
center of gravity. A 28° positioning of
crank pins and a specific firing order of the cylinders reduce vibrations. Therefore engineers avoid the need for a
balance shaft and limit the weight of the engine. The throttle is electronic
throttle by wire.
The configuration of the cylinders is also unique. The V4 has the rear bank of cylinders paired closely together, with the big ends of the
connecting rods on the inner sides of the
crank journals. The forward bank of cylinders is conversely set outboard of the rear bank, with the big end journals mounted on the outer sides of the crank journals. This design allows for a much narrower engine at the rear, which gives the rider a slimmer bike and allows an easier reach to the ground from the seat.
Transmission
The VFR1200F is available with either a conventional sequential manual transmission, or an automatic dual clutch transmission (DCT),
both of which are mated to shaft final drive. The DCT version, known is some markets as the VFR1200FD, has dual clutches, one operating 1st, 3rd and 5th gears, the other operating 2nd, 4th and 6th gears. The dual clutches are able to switch quickly between gears and can operate in one of three modes: 'D', which is a fuel-efficient fully automatic mode; 'S', a sports automatic mode, which changes gear at higher engine speeds; and manual mode, in which the rider changes gear using paddles fitted to the handlebars. This gearbox is the first of its type fitted to a large capacity motorcycle, although dual clutch transmissions are already used in automobiles. Unlike the continuously variable transmission installed on scooters, which use a pulley, the DCT gearbox retains engine braking as with a conventional manual transmission.
Brakes
The VFR1200F incorporates a combined braking system (CBS) as in previous generation VFR models, and anti-lock brakes (ABS) as standard equipment
The reduction in fuel tank capacity from 22 litres (4.8 imp gal; 5.8 US gal) on the previous VFR800 down to 18.5 litres (4.1 imp gal; 4.9 US gal) on the VFR1200F has been the main complaint raised by motorcyclists, coupled with the new engine's higher than expected fuel consumption. On-road tests have shown a maximum distance from a single tank of less than 300 kilometres (186 mi),
with some press reviewers running out of fuel after just 240 kilometres (150 mi)
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